Breakfast really *is* the most important meal of the day ....

Most people who've had the joy of being in close proximity to me in the mornings know exactly what the lion-tamers at the zoo feel like, come feeding time: it's not really a question of feeding the beast so much as it is of avoiding grevious bodily injury in the process.  But, for some reason, this morning when I looked at my usual nutritious and dee-licious version of breakfast (what?  Diet Pepsi and a Hot Pocket are so good for you), I felt sick.

So I skipped breakfast.

This was a Bad Idea.

When I got to work post-traffic, I just barely had enough time to get my copies for today's class, sign for  my beautiful new office-bestowed laptop, and freshen up: I made it to class with seconds to spare, and dove right into Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories."  I love this essay, I really do ... there's very little that can distract me from it.  Neither nausea, nor hunger, nor nearly anything else shall sway me from my task ....

However, the realization that I may have left my brand-new computer  resting peacefully by the soap-dispenser?  Yeah, that'd do it ... I'd just gotten to the bit about the mechanization of society when I realized that I was sans laptop.  It's such a good part of the essay, too.

One of my students felt a little sick half-way through class.  I'm normally the most sympathetic of women when it comes to these things, but this time, man, I really felt it.  If I'd felt sick pre-revelation, just imagine what getting through the remainder of the class was like ....

Luckily (and freakily, by NY standards), the computer was waiting for me back in the office once I wrapped things up with my students.  I love this place. 

Needless to say, though, I doubt I'll be skipping any more meals anytime soon, nausea or no nausea (I mean, seriously, if one missed meal makes me leave a laptop, what will two lose me - my soul?).  So, now I'm off to find a delicious dry hunk of bread.  And maybe a computer lock ....

Breakfast really *is* the most important meal of the day ....

Most people who've had the joy of being in close proximity to me in the mornings know exactly what the lion-tamers at the zoo feel like, come feeding time: it's not really a question of feeding the beast so much as it is of avoiding grevious bodily injury in the process.  But, for some reason, this morning when I looked at my usual nutritious and dee-licious version of breakfast (what?  Diet Pepsi and a Hot Pocket are so good for you), I felt sick.

So I skipped breakfast.

This was a Bad Idea.

When I got to work post-traffic, I just barely had enough time to get my copies for today's class, sign for  my beautiful new office-bestowed laptop, and freshen up: I made it to class with seconds to spare, and dove right into Tolkien's "On Fairy Stories."  I love this essay, I really do ... there's very little that can distract me from it.  Neither nausea, nor hunger, nor nearly anything else shall sway me from my task ....

However, the realization that I may have left my brand-new computer  resting peacefully by the soap-dispenser?  Yeah, that'd do it ... I'd just gotten to the bit about the mechanization of society when I realized that I was sans laptop.  It's such a good part of the essay, too.

One of my students felt a little sick half-way through class.  I'm normally the most sympathetic of women when it comes to these things, but this time, man, I really felt it.  If I'd felt sick pre-revelation, just imagine what getting through the remainder of the class was like ....

Luckily (and freakily, by NY standards), the computer was waiting for me back in the office once I wrapped things up with my students.  I love this place. 

Needless to say, though, I doubt I'll be skipping any more meals anytime soon, nausea or no nausea (I mean, seriously, if one missed meal makes me leave a laptop, what will two lose me - my soul?).  So, now I'm off to find a delicious dry hunk of bread.  And maybe a computer lock ....

LOSERS!

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most" - Ozzie Osbourne

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my pants the most" - Anonymous

An addition to the thoughts of the last post: of all the things you've lost, what do you miss the most?  For the most part, I tend to be pretty insane about security issues (I am totally the girl who goes back to check if she's locked the door, periodically pats herself down to locate her keys and wallet, etc.), but occasionally, given illness or distraction or sheer bad luck ... these things happen.

Aside from The Great (Near) Laptop Disaster of '07, my categories of Stuff Gone Astray generally fall into the generic (umbrellas left in cabs and single gloves left gods-only-know-where), but there are a few exceptions ... and these always make me think of Anne Fadiman's comments on the vagrancy of objects.  In particular, she has an essay about a favorite pen which, in her opinion, must have rebelled against being kept in purdah to disappear into some mysterious crack in her desk, never to be found again.  One of the first rings I ever made pulled a Fadiman (Pen-iman?) on me back when I lived with my parents ... I can only assume that it will eventually re-emerge when they redo the floors, or convert to central air, or something.  Other objects that have gone to live with the elves, or in The Land of Lost Things, include the last (signed!) copy of Drawing Down the Moon that I bought to replace the latest copy to have gone the way of loaned-to-a-friend-and-lost-forever (where I assume it's keeping company with the copy of Drawing Blood which I bought under the same circumstances), my corkboard and all its contents (I have faith that these are just hiding somewhere in the clutter of "just moved"), and my favorite grey cashmere hat, which disappeared for 2 years, only to turn up all warm and smug in the drawer where I'd last seen in ... right in time for my move to California.

I'm generally aiming for things like keys or earrings or whatever here, but feel free to include love, faith, etc.

LOSERS!

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my mind the most" - Ozzie Osbourne

"Of all the things I've lost, I miss my pants the most" - Anonymous

An addition to the thoughts of the last post: of all the things you've lost, what do you miss the most?  For the most part, I tend to be pretty insane about security issues (I am totally the girl who goes back to check if she's locked the door, periodically pats herself down to locate her keys and wallet, etc.), but occasionally, given illness or distraction or sheer bad luck ... these things happen.

Aside from The Great (Near) Laptop Disaster of '07, my categories of Stuff Gone Astray generally fall into the generic (umbrellas left in cabs and single gloves left gods-only-know-where), but there are a few exceptions ... and these always make me think of Anne Fadiman's comments on the vagrancy of objects.  In particular, she has an essay about a favorite pen which, in her opinion, must have rebelled against being kept in purdah to disappear into some mysterious crack in her desk, never to be found again.  One of the first rings I ever made pulled a Fadiman (Pen-iman?) on me back when I lived with my parents ... I can only assume that it will eventually re-emerge when they redo the floors, or convert to central air, or something.  Other objects that have gone to live with the elves, or in The Land of Lost Things, include the last (signed!) copy of Drawing Down the Moon that I bought to replace the latest copy to have gone the way of loaned-to-a-friend-and-lost-forever (where I assume it's keeping company with the copy of Drawing Blood which I bought under the same circumstances), my corkboard and all its contents (I have faith that these are just hiding somewhere in the clutter of "just moved"), and my favorite grey cashmere hat, which disappeared for 2 years, only to turn up all warm and smug in the drawer where I'd last seen in ... right in time for my move to California.

I'm generally aiming for things like keys or earrings or whatever here, but feel free to include love, faith, etc.